Cosmetic Surgery: Numbers Prove Men Are Enjoying the Benefits, Too

Plastic surgery is often associated more with women than with men. However, although the majority of patients are still women, the number of men seeking both surgical and non-surgical treatments is rocketing. Over recent years, more men than ever have decided to go under the knife for cosmetic reasons.

So just how popular is male cosmetic surgery, and why are so many men lining up to receive treatments?

43 Percent Increase in Male Plastic Surgery Procedures Last Year

According to recent figures from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the total amount spent on cosmetic surgery procedures by both men and women in the United States in 2014 was $12 billion.

The majority of this was spent by women, but the statistics also showed that the number of men who are undergoing plastic surgery procedures in the United States has increased.

The figures, which were also reported in the Washington Times, showed that in 2014 alone, the number of aesthetic procedures including both surgical and non-surgical procedures went up by 43 percent. On top of this, since 1997, when the society started to collect statistics, the number of plastic surgery procedures carried out on men has increased by 273 percent.

Men Are Opting for Various Types of Plastic Surgery

When it comes to which procedures men are choosing more these days at specialists like KR Plastic Surgery, the society provides some figures that cover the last five years going back to 2010. It claims that the three most popular procedures are:

Eyelid lifts, known as blepharoplasty, which has seen an increase of 34 percent

It also lists a number of the most popular non-surgical procedures, which include Hyaluronic Acid (this has increased by an incredible 94 percent), Botulinum Toxin, and nonsurgical skin tightening.

Why Are More Men Opting for Surgery?

The big question for many is why so many men are now deciding that they want surgery compared to just a few years ago, and there are a number of possible reasons. This was examined in a Business Insider article, which reported on the issue last year.

The article quotes Dr. Douglas Steinbrech, a plastic surgeon working in Manhattan, who states that some men simply want plastic surgery because they want to look good. As more women are seeing the positive results that surgery can have, men are realizing that they too can look better much more quickly by undergoing a surgical procedure.

Some men want to get a sharper jawline and more defined abs, whereas others want to enjoy a more muscular appearance. Others are fathers who are now in their forties and fifties and decide to opt for ‘daddy do-overs’ to return their youthful good looks through procedures like liposuctions, eyelifts, and jaw recontouring.

Career Goals Are Another Motive for Surgery

There is another big motivator for many middle-aged men to seek out cosmetic surgery: Career advancement. What tends to happen more these days is that middle-aged men are doing well in their careers, but at the same time they don’t look as young as they feel. They are also feeling the pressure of younger competition, and this affects their confidence.

This has led to the rise in the Forbes Facelift—a procedure designed especially for career men of a certain age. This can include some slight jawline recontouring, liposuction if they need it, and possibly a necklift. The idea is not to make them look 20 again, but rather to give them more confidence in the workplace so that they look as young as they feel.

An article in Forbes from 2006 highlighted this problem nearly a decade ago. It discusses the frustration of men who feel young but don’t look it. They may exercise, eat healthy food, and avoid smoking, but they still can’t fight the effects of aging. With a more ageist job market we are in, men want to give themselves the best chance possible, and looking more youthful gives them a revitalized appearance.

A Trend that Is Set to Continue

The number of men seeking out cosmetic surgery has gone up in recent years, and this is a trend that is set to continue. As more men realize that cosmetic surgery is not just for women, and that they too can enjoy all the benefits of undergoing treatment, we can expect to see the number of procedures carried out on men increase over the coming years.

Guest Author :

Dr Kevin Ruhge is an experienced and respected Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon. He is committed to patient care and enjoys the chance to share his views and insights online. He has already written a number of posts relating to cosmetic surgery of the breast, body and face.

About the Author

Guest Author - Outside contributors to the Dispatch are always welcome to offer their unique voices, contradictory opinions or presentation of information not included on the site.

[…] male plastic surgery procedures increased by 43 percent, according to an October 12 report from The Global Dispatch. Among the most popular procedures that men are choosing, eyelid lifts or blepharoplasty has […]

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